


It's a Condition

by ChrissieWishes



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: AU, Developing Relationship, Fluff, Human AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-26
Updated: 2014-05-03
Packaged: 2018-01-17 02:32:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1370656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChrissieWishes/pseuds/ChrissieWishes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Danny has a thing for bad boys. It hasn't exactly worked out great for him in the past, but Ethan might be different, right?</p><p>Right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted to my tumblr

Danny swung his bag over his shoulder and wearily made his way to Math. He wasn’t exactly in the mood to sit in a stuffy classroom and immerse himself into a surd stemmed stupor. The drone of his teacher wasn’t going to to do anything to help his crabby mood at all. He was  _late_ as well.

Screw it. He’d skip class.

Danny knew he would probably regret it when his parents got a call asking why he wasn’t present for the last two periods, but he was too grumpy and tired to care. Rotating one foot and heading out into the car park, Danny started planning his impromptu free time. He could always risk sneaking home and praying he didn’t get caught by parents.

"Skipping class, Mahealani? I  _am_ surprised.” 

Ethan Wolfe’s mocking drawl made Danny stop dead and he sighed. Thankfully, he had a pretty good tactic for pissing Ethan off.

"What do you want, Aiden?"

"Ethan," Ethan corrected with a scowl. 

Danny privately applauded himself on scoring a point in their little snark war. Ethan was well known as a kind of ‘bad boy’ and usually Danny is crazy attracted to bad boys. It’s a condition. The problem is that Ethan’s also kind of an asshole and Danny kind of is a little irritated by him 98.99% of the time. They trade barbs and snarks and frustratingly, Ethan always seems to come out on top. 

Ugh, that image shouldn’t please Danny so much.

"Whatever." Danny turned away once again, his patience fast wearing thin. Ethan jogged up to walk beside him.

"So why’re you skipping class?"

"No reason." Danny said dully, attempting to brush Ethan off.

"Aw come on, a good boy like you missing out on his oh-so important education? I’m shocked."

"Whatever." Danny said again.

"Hey, I mean, I couldn’t stand to sit through class, but that’s just me being lazy. But a good boy like you - "

"Stop calling me a good boy."

"Why?" Ethan grinned widely, wickedly. "Because you’re a naughty boy?"

"Ew, Ethan."

"I’m not hearing you deny it."

Flushing pink, Danny scowled and shoved open the door and trotted out into the car lot, Ethan on his heels. He reached into his pocket for his keys, aware that Ethan was watching him intently.

"So you’re just gonna go home?"

"Yeah, probably."

"You don’t wanna hang out?"

Danny snorted. “With you?” Ethan had made it his life’s ambition to wind Danny up at every turn and seemed to take pleasure in mocking him mercilessly. They’d first met in English class, they’d been seated together; from day one, Ethan would tease him about everything from his painstakingly tidy handwriting to his habit of scribbling down notes on a stack of postits he kept handy. The worst thing about it though was Danny kind of  _liked_ Ethan’s smug smirk and the way he just noticed  _everything_ about Danny. The way his eyes lingered when Danny would stoop over to pick something up, the way he would make lewd, salacious comments and then laugh raucously.

He’d had one too many fantasies of Ethan just  _bending_ him over the desk and  _fucking_ him, raw and animalistic and after, kissing him with that stupid smirk still on his lips -

Wow, he’s getting side tracked by his stupid teenage libido. 

"With me." Ethan said simply, like he wasn’t the source pretty much all of Danny’s frustrations (admittedly both normal and sexual) he probably  _knew_ Danny had a hate-crush on him and was exploiting it to tease him further. It was the kind of thing Ethan would do.

"I’m going to pass, thanks."

"But we love hanging out together!"

Danny frowned. “The only time we ever associate with each other is in English and that’s because we  _have to.”_

_“_ Well, I’m gonna change that.”

"Again, I’ll pass." Danny prayed he wasn’t blushing. He couldn’t risk ‘hanging out’ with Ethan and having his crush completely exposed. The ensuing humiliation would be totally unbearable. 

"Oh."

Did Ethan look  _hurt_ by that? Yeah. He actually looked kind of hurt at Danny’s rejection. Maybe it’s because Ethan’s screwed every gay guy in a hundred mile radius and isn’t used to rejection. Yeah. He can’t actually like Danny.

"So." Ethan swallowed and looked away. "I’ll just go."

Ethan slowly walked away, any trace of his usually cocky confidence gone. It was a little unnerving to see Ethan so suddenly  _subdued._

Suddenly, Danny decided to take a risk. What’s life without a little risk, right?

(Probably a lot less worrying, actually, but whatever. Ethan’s hot and Danny actually might stand a wild chance)

"I’m kidding." Danny said in an oddly squeaky voice. "About the passing."

Ethan halted and frowned. “What?”

"I wanna hang out."

Ethan’s face brightened and he actually  _bounced_ a little, which was fucking adorable - not a word Danny ever thought he’d use in association with Ethan. He grinned giddily.

"So." Ethan began, drawing closer. "What do you want to do?" 


	2. Chapter 2

"I’m happy to do anything, but what do you want to do?" Ethan continued.

Danny shrugged and turned back to his car. “Wherever it is, I’m guessing you’re gonna want a ride.”

Ethan stared at him for a little while as if thinking something through and then slowly shook his head. “Nah. I actually know a perfect place which is in walking distance. You want to grab some food beforehand? My treat.”

"Um, sure." He followed Ethan’s gesture and they began to make their way to Ethan’s 'perfect place'.

"Great - though I should probably make it clear that by ‘food’ I mean ‘deeply unhealthy take out which will probably shorten our lives significantly’. I hope you don’t mind."

"Why would I mind?"

"I’ve seen the sort of scarily healthy stuff you eat."

"Yeah, well, my body is a temple." Danny said loftily. Ethan grinned.

"Mind if I come worship at it sometime?"

Danny tried to hold back the grin but failed spectacularly. Ethan spotted this and returned it with a wide grin of his own.

"Oh my God, is that - "

"The fact that I smiled does not mean yes!"

"Worth a shot." Ethan tugged at Danny's arm. "C'mon, I'll pay." 

* * *

 

"Right, we’ve got our deeply unhealthy food, now it’s time for the setting."

The neighbourhood they walked through had always interested Danny. It’s a series of tiny, ordinary houses which are occupied by the standard 2.4 kid families, but then at the end of the street is a great, looming manor house. The windows are smashed and boarded from frat kids with rocks and the roof is partially collapsed. Around the garden is a huge, hulking wall with ‘TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED’ signs plastered across every available inch of space.

"That’s just to scare people off." Ethan said carelessly, hoisting himself up onto the wall and holding out a hand. "You coming?"

Danny sucked in a deep breath and then nodded. “Sure.”

Ethan helped tugged him up over the wall and they both stumbled down onto the other side and into a weed ridden garden. Grass tangled high past Danny knees, wildflowers scrubbing up between. Nettles and weeds held haven to a plethora of fluttering butterflies. Most of the garden was  obscured in a cool afternoon shade by the manor, but there was a wide square which glowed in the fast dwindling sun. Ethan eagerly dragged Danny over to the sun patch and they both collapsed inelegantly together, food bags rustling around them.

"This is my favourite place." Ethan sighed happily, flopping backwards onto the grass. It grew shorter there and Danny guessed that it was well trodden from Ethan’s many visits. 

"Why?" From the way Ethan acted and from his general demeanor, Danny would’ve guessed that Ethan’s favourite place would’ve a cage fighting arena or even a drug den. Not a nearly idyllic garden.

"It’s beautiful." Ethan said simply. "And untamed. And  _wild.”_

 _“_ Oh.” Danny settled down. “Yeah, it is beautiful.”

They lay there for some time, trading lazy quips that didn’t have nearly as much sting as they normally did. Maybe because they weren’t  _forced_ together in this situation, they were both there because they wanted to be there.

Danny sighed happily and let the last of the afternoon sunshine warm him to his bones. 

"Well hey there little guy." Ethan said in a soft voice. Danny didn’t think he was supposed to hear it, so quiet was Ethan’s tone, but who else could he have been talking to?

"Sorry?"

Ethan made an odd, choked off noise. “Wasn’t talking to you.”

"Then who were you talking to?"

"Um - "

Ethan was as sheepish looking as Danny had ever seen him. He tried to figure out what had got Ethan so abashed, and then he spotted a butterfly fluttering on Ethan’s fingertips.

"Is that a butterfly?" 

"California Tortoiseshell." Ethan muttered, looking slightly abashed.

"Were you talking to it?" Danny asked with a small disbelieving laugh. 

"Um."

"And you know what it’s called?"

Danny kind of wanted to giggle but then he saw Ethan’s face. It was nearly bright red and abashed and  _ashamed._ He thought. Ethan was this guy who made loud, crude jokes and refused to apologise for anything. His band of followers seemed to think of him as this tough guy idol.

But there he was, talking to a god damn  _butterfly._

"What did you say it was called?" Danny asked. Ethan look up at him, shocked.

"California Tortoiseshell." He said, looking slightly wary at Danny’s interest.

"It’s really pretty." Danny said as the butterfly fluttered off into the distance. Ethan watched it, swallowed and then turned to Danny.

"Yeah, they are."

"So." Danny struggled up onto his elbows. "You like butterflies? That’s something I  _did not_ expect from you.”

Ethan grinned ruefully. “Well, you’re literally the only guy who knows - apart from Aiden, who only keeps my secret because I know a few of his embarrassing secrets I have no problem revealing if he were ever to reveal mine.” 

"Why do you like them so much?"

Ethan froze and then shrugged. “I just do.”

It clearly wasn’t the full story, but Danny knew when not to push. He just punched Ethan lightly on the arm and said. “Jackson’s the only guy who knows I’m a total comic book nerd. I mean, a  _total_ comic book nerd. I met Stan Lee and I cried a little.”

Ethan burst out laughing. “That’s adorable!”

Maybe Danny was giving Ethan ammo for merciless teasing or maybe he was building a connection. He didn’t have too long to dwell on it, not when there was a gasp and a sudden shout of

"Hey! Hey! - damnit, there’s  _kids_ in the garden again!”

Ethan looked to Danny and Danny looked to Ethan and they both gaped in horror.

"Run!" Ethan hissed, grabbing Danny’s hand and dragging him to the wall they’d both previously scaled. They sprinted for dear life, but a great hulking man caught up with them and yanked Danny’s arm, pulling him back with a loud grunt.  

"Ow!"

Another man came jogging up and took Ethan’s arm gently. Together, they were frogmarched to the crumbling building where, on closer inspection, there were clear signs of some foolhardy person attempting a renovation.

"We’ve had little brats breaking into our garden so many times." The man holding Danny grumbled grouchily. "But none of them have had the audacity to do it in  _broad daylight.”_

 _“_ We thought it was abandoned!” Ethan howled in protest. 

"How? Were the the ‘Trespassers will be prosecuted’ signs not a big enough clue that you shouldn’t enter? We bought this place two weeks ago and put those signs up as soon as we moved in!" 

"Okay, admittedly we shouldn’t have ignored those - "

The man holding Danny rolled his eyes. “Call the Sheriff, I don’t have time for this shit.”

"The Sheriff?" Danny repeated in horror. His parents were going to  _kill him._ Ethan struggled again and then sighed.

"Listen, feel free to slap the cuffs on me and do whatever you have to do to scare off future trespassers, but don’t penalize my friend. He didn’t know. I’m leading him astray! Seriously, ask anyone, I’m the kind of guy who leads  _good boys_  like him - “

Danny scowled at Ethan, who winked.

" - astray. I’m a horrible, horrible influence. Terrible. The worst." 

The man holding Danny stared, unmoved. “Call the Sheriff.” he said again but the other one, the one holding Ethan, faltered.

"Maybe we should give them the benefit of the doubt, Michael. They weren’t doing anything, they were just .. sitting there."

Ethan and Danny both nodded eagerly but Michael, as he was apparently named, glared.

"That’s not the point! They  _trespassed,_ it doesn’t matter what they did once they had trespassed, the point remains that they trespassed!” 

"Michael - "

"Patrick!"

"They’re kids."

"They’re  _trespassers.”_

Patrick sighed and after a long silence, drew out his phone and dialled a familiar number. Danny groaned.

His parents were going to  _kill_ him. 

* * *

 

Sheriff Stilinski was surprisingly understanding and he managed to talk Michael (who was an asshole, a total and overwhelming asshole) and Patrick (who was sweet and nice and could do a hell of a lot better than Michael) out of pressing charges.

"I’ll make sure they both get home." He said, jerking a thumb back to his cruiser where Danny and Ethan sat. "Sorry about this."

"They weren’t any trouble, really, please don’t be too harsh on them," Danny heard Patrick say sweetly whilst Michael harrumphed and generally continued being a total  _asshole._

The Sheriff bade them one last goodbye before turning swiftly and heading for his cruiser. Once he was settled down, he started up the engine and turned to Danny and Ethan, frowning.

"Mahealani, right? I get the feeling your parents aren’t going to be too impressed by this."

"No." Danny sighed forlornly. Ethan squirmed and Danny swore he heard a whispered  _sorry._

"Not after that little stunt you pulled when you were thirteen, anyhow." The Sheriff muttered. Ethan stared, clearly completely intrigued. It wasn’t exactly common knowledge that Danny had narrowly escaped getting a criminal record, and he was keen to keep it that way.

"I’ll drop you off first, Danny and explain what happened."

"Okay." Danny muttered, staring at his shoes.

"And - well, you know the drill, Ethan." 

"I sure do!" Ethan chirruped back cheerfully. His several run ins with the law  _were_ common knowledge, so Danny wasn’t surprised that he apparently ‘knew the drill’. Still, Danny had never expected to be dragged down to his level. He had a few less than kind thoughts about Ethan, but they all dispelled when they’d pulled up outside Danny’s house Ethan reached out and gave Danny’s wrist a tiny, comforting squeeze. 

* * *

 

Danny was grounded.  _Forever._ His parents weren’t the type to yell, they just looked disappointed and then sent him to his room for the the rest of time.

Danny felt like crap. The worst kind of person. He was lying on his bed, eyes screwed shut, wishing that he could reverse time and not be total disappointment to his parents when he heard the snick of a window,a thump and small grunt of pain. 

Danny snapped his eyes open and he sat up to find Ethan struggling up from his floor and dusting himself down. 

Danny stared. “How the hell did you get in?”

"I climbed." Ethan said casually. "Thank God for that sheltered porch, I was up here in literally five seconds."

"Uh."

"So what’s new with you?" Ethan asked, falling lazily onto the end of Danny’s bed. Danny scowled and huffed.

"Not much. I just, oh, you know,  _got arrested.”_

Ethan grinned and shook his head. “We just got a little slap on the wrist by an officer of the law, no biggie.”

"I’m grounded for the entirety of time."

"All you did was  _accidentally_ trespass!”

"Yeah, well, my parents don’t see it that way." Danny mumbled. "They saw me getting brought home by the Sheriff and they totally flipped."

"They’ll get over it. They’re just shocked that their Golden Boy is actually a little badass - which reminds me," Ethan drew closer, "what exactly did you do when you were thirteen?"

"Nothing. It doesn’t matter."

"Kinda does."

"No it doesn’t."

"I - "

The thud of footsteps on stairs interrupted Ethan’s reply. Both boys looked around wildly, Danny desperately mouthing  _"hide! hide!"_ and Ethan scrambling for a suitable hiding place. It would’ve been funny were it not for the fact Danny was pretty keen not to completely piss off his parents again in the same hour.

"Danny?" The door to Danny’s room creaked open just as Ethan dove under Danny’s bed. "Who are you talking to?"


	3. Chapter 3

Danny could hear Ethan scrabbling under his bed and he prayed that his dad  _couldn’t._ The door swung open and Mr Mahealani stood there, frowning and giving the room a sweeping gaze.

"Your mom heard voices." He said slowly. Danny swallowed, brushing the comment off with a nervous laugh.

"Maybe she should see Dr Steine about that."

Danny heard a quiet snigger underneath the bed and gave his mattress a quick punch to shut the source up. Mr Mahealani frowned again.

"She heard you talking to someone."

"Phone. I was talking to Jackson."

"Isn’t one of the conditions of your grounding that you  _don’t_ get to use your phone or laptop?”

Danny shrugged. “You guys weren’t clear. Is it?”

Mr Mahealani hummed pensively and then slowly shook his head. “I guess you didn’t do anything too horrific - if I’m honest, Dan, we overreacted a little. It’s just the shock of seeing your kid being marched up to the door by the Sheriff.  _Again.”_

Danny grinned nervously. “I’m sorry. Honestly.”

"I know." His dad leaned over to ruffle his hair. "At least there wasn’t the intermittent threat of an FBI investigation this time, right?"

Danny laughed cautiously as did his dad and Danny could only pray that it covered Ethan’s rather loud squawk, scuffle and whisper of ‘ _FBI?!’_

"I’ll get dinner finished, then." Mr Mahealani slowly exited the room and Danny silently willed him on. Right up until Mr Mahealani paused and turned on the spot, chuckling to himself. 

"And by the way, kiddo? If I ever catch you hiding a guy under your bed again, you  _will_ be grounded for the the forseeable future.” 

Danny could only gape wordlessly and Mr Mahealani laughed at his son’s dumbfounded expression.

"I was a teenager once too, you know. You think I didn’t hide under your moms bed from your grandpa? I recognise the signs." He teased. "Tell this new guy he can join us for dinner and I’ll forgive you both."

"Uh -"

Ethan slowly climbed out from under Danny’s bed and he had the decency to look bashful. He clambered to his feet and though Ethan was bulky with muscle and practically Danny’s height, Mr Mahealani was taller and broader and infinitely, terrifying intimidating.  

"I’m Ethan." Ethan said, shoving his hand out. Mr Mahealani seized it as if was trying to crush all the bones of Ethan’s fingers. 

"Nice to meet you. I’m sure we’ll have a lot to talk about at dinner, Ethan. It’s not often I get a chance to talk to my son’s boyfriends."

Ethan’s sheepish “I’m sure, sir” drowned out Danny’s protest of “he’s  _not_ my boyfriend.”

"Dad - "

"This isn’t up for discussion,  _Daniel.”_

Danny groaned as Mr Mahealani marched from the room, grinning to himself. As soon as the door clicked shut, Danny turned to Ethan.

"Why the hell did you let him think you my boyfriend?!" he hissed. Ethan snorted incredulously. 

"You think I was going to start arguing with him? The guy looks like he could snap my neck with his pinky!"

"Well, that’s actually probably true ‘cause he  _is_ ex-military - but that’s not my point! Now he thinks you’re my boyfriend!”

Ethan looked slightly offended. “Well what’s wrong with that?”

"You’re  _not_ my boyfriend!” Danny explained, exasperated. “And now he’s going to interrogate you! My parents have never met one of my boyfriends, I don’t really date the sort of guys you bring home so now they’re going to think that we’re really  _serious_  when really, we’re not anything at all!”

 _“_ So I’ll just explain the little mix up, we’ll all laugh at it and Murder-Eyes-Mgee…sorry, your  _dad,_ won’t think I’m defiling you.” Ethan shrugged. “It’s no big deal. You need to stop being so uptight about stuff.”

"Did you just call my dad  _Murder Eyes Mgee_?”

"He totally wanted to kill me, I know it."

"He’s not the only one." Danny muttered. "Right. So you promise that you’ll help me explain to my parents that you’re  _not_ my boyfriend?”

"Cross my heart." Ethan chanted wearily. "You know, Mahealani, I’m not the worst guy you could end up with. I’ve seen the sort of specimens you date."

"There’s nothing wrong with the guys I date!"

"I cannot believe you just said that with a straight face. You literally just said you don’t bring anyone home to your parents."

"So what if I did? It’s hardly your business who to deem suitable for me to date!" 

"I’m just saying, you could do a lot better than some of the guys I’ve seen you with."

"It’s  _not_ any of your business.” Danny’s voice was doing that horrible half-break thing where he was struggling not to crack. He hated talking about his exes. Hated it. As much as he was loathe to admit it, Ethan was right. Danny only seemed to date assholes, but having that fact rubbed in his face was near painful and he felt a strong need to defend himself. 

"Fine then. It’s not any of my business. I was just expressing an opinion."

"About my personal life." Danny hissed. 

Danny had long grown used to Ethan’s smug looks and the glint of a smile he’d get when he knew he was truly winding Danny up and Danny half expected to see it now. But Ethan just shook his head and sighed, raw and honest.

"You’re right. Not any of my business. I’m sorry. okay? I’m really sorry."

Danny chewed his lip, watching Ethan stare at him in honest apology. He too, sighed.

"It’s fine." 

The air seemed to slowly clear between then and Ethan’s usual, cocky smirk returned. That stupid sexy smirk which did horribly flippy things to Danny’s stomach. There was a moment in which they did nothing but drink the sight of each other in and Danny swore there was an inkling of something more. 

"Dinners on!" Mr Mahealani bellowed up the stairs, breaking Danny’s dream. 

* * *

 

"Where’s mom?" Danny asked as soon as they slunk into the kitchen

"She was called out to an emergency. So it’s just us three for dinner." Mr Mahealani was casually wiping off a meat cleaver with a damp cloth. it had presumably been used to prepare dinner, but Danny got this feeling his dad was getting his protective papa-bear on and using it as a prop in his ‘meet the parent’ routine.

"What kind of emergency?" Ethan asked in this weirdly polite tone. It was totally unnerving to hear Ethan being anywhere near polite. 

"One of her patients had a brain haemorrhage. She’s a Neurosurgeon." Mr Mahealani explained to Ethan. "Danny gets his brains from her."

"Pun intend?" Ethan asked meekly. Mr Mahealani chuckled.

"No."

Danny squished Ethan’s foot and tugged him forward to the table. 

"Before we go any further, you need to understand that Ethan’s not my boyfriend."

"We are completely unattached." Ethan said wearily. He then gave Danny a look that seemed to say  _happy now?_ Mr Mahealani caught the look and he laughed loudly. 

"Nice try, Danny. You don’t have to pretend to just be friends. I’m not mad that you tried to hide him from me, so cut the crap, yeah? I just want to meet my son’s new boyfriend." 

"He’s  _not_ my - “

Mr Mahealani rose his voice above his sons. “So  _Ethan_ , I hear from the Sheriff that Danny was caught tresspassing with a guy named Ethan. I take it that’s not a coincidence?”

"Nope." Ethan managed to grit out, staring warily at the cleaver. 

"Interesting. He also may have mentioned a few other run in with the laws you’ve had."

"I may have had a few." Ethan admitted. Danny could only gape while his dad stared at Ethan sternly. He then chuckled again. 

"Danny is my only child." Mr Mahealani said, looking way too cheerful for a guy wielding a meat cleaver. "And I would stop at nothing to protect him. I  _love_ him more than anything in this world and if anything or any _one_ was to upset him, I’m not too sure what I would do - “

"Dad!" Danny cut in desperately. "You can’t threaten Ethan with a meat cleaver! That’s not a normal person thing to do!"

Mr Mahealani stared down at the meat cleaver in his hands, looking quite abashed.

"I actually forgot I was holding that." He said mildly. It took a few moments, but Danny thought it was worth believing him. "But are we clear, Ethan?  My point still stands. Meat cleaver or no meat cleaver."

Danny had thousands and thousands of protests bubbling up in his throat, but all were cut short when Ethan nodded seriously and said.

"I’m never going to hurt Danny, sir. I couldn’t." 


	4. Chapter 4

Dinner was incredibly awkward. Ethan remained stiff and uncomfortable behind his mask of politeness, only tripping up every so often to let a glimmer of his usual cheek and bravado to slither through and Mr Mahealani remained firmly convinced that Ethan and Danny were completely besotted with each other. He swung between casually threatening Ethan and attempting to arrange a wedding. 

"So Ethan, you have any hobbies outside of teenage delinquency?"

"Uh…"

Suddenly, Danny started to think of the peculiar incident with the butterfly. How Ethan had seemed so embarrassed and yet, so in awe. Was he going to delve into a little further?

"I box a little."

No, then.

"You box?" Mr Mahealani repeated, impressed. "I used to box back in my military days. Still do when I can find a sparring partner."

"Ethan’s also runs cross country." Danny cut in hastily, before his dad could challenge Ethan to a match. 

"What about academics? What’s your best subject?"

The back and forth continued, Danny’s father relentlessly drilling Ethan for details right up until the last scrap of food had gone.

“ _Well,_ it’s getting late and it’s already dark so Ethan should probably be going…”

Mr Mahealani shook his head, hands immersed in sudsy water. 

"He can stay the night. I’m not an idiot you know. You’re teenage boys you don’t have to pretend to be in an entirely sexless relationship. I’d rather you did it here than in some car - "

"He’s  _going home.”_ Danny squealed, his face burning brightest pink as Ethan grinned smugly at him.

"Well, your dad was kind enough to offer that I stay the night."

"You’re going home." Danny informed him. Ethan held his hands up, but winked infuriatingly at the sight of Danny’s pink tinged cheeks. "My car’s at the school, so I’m going to walk there and then drive Ethan home."

"You are?" Ethan asked, mildly bemused. "Well, thanks. Though my bikes still at the school too, so you can just ditch me there and drive back yourself. Unless you wanted to use the car for something else…?"

"Shut. Up."

Ethan snickered and Danny scowled, motioning for them to begin to heading out of the door. 

"Danny, wait." Mr Mahealani grabbed Danny by the shoulder, lowering his voice to an undertone Ethan couldn’t hear. "On the one hand, I’m not exactly thrilled that you’re dating someone who potentially has a criminal record but on the other…he seems like a good man. He’s serious about you. Just be careful, eh?." 

Danny, who was unable to fathom a time when Ethan had been remotely serious about anything, could only shrug helplessly and bleat a final.

"He’s  _not_ my boyfriend.”

"However you’re defining the relationship, just make sure you’re both happy, ‘kay kiddo?"

“‘kay dad.” Danny called over his shoulder, shepherding Ethan out of the door, steering him away and down the path. They walked in silence for a while before the awkwardness grew to much for Danny. 

"So, I didn’t know you boxed." He began conversationally. Ethan shrugged.

"My therapist suggested it. He said it would help vent my aggression." 

The obvious comment of  _I didn’t know you saw a therapist_ threatened in Danny’s throat, but he held it back. Ethan, however, saw his expression.

"Surprised I see a shrink? It’s court mandated, so…"

"Are you serious?" Danny gasped without meaning to. Ethan threw his head back and laughed. 

"Wouldn’t you like to know Mahealani?" He teased. "Tell you what, if you tell me what the whole FBI thing was about, I’ll let you on my little secret."

Danny considered this for a second. He thought he was beginning to trust Ethan, if only a little bit, but he didn’t want to give him any incriminating ammo.

"No deal." He said. Ethan shrugged,

"Your choice. Sooo." He kicked up a coke can lying in the street. "Your Dad’s a little protective, huh?"

Danny laughed awkwardly. “Yeah. Both my parents are. My Dad’s the worst for it but I guess I can understand where they’re coming from.”

"How so?"

Ethan seemed like he was genuinely interested, but Danny was still wary. For all he knew, come Monday morning Ethan was going to get all of his cronies to mercilessly mock Danny the Daddy’s Boy.

But Danny’s foolhardy side won through.

"I’m their only child and they had a lot of trouble having me in the first place. IVF, all that sort of stuff. Then, when I was born, I was really sick. Still  _am_ I guess _,_ but all that stuff kind of means they’re a little overprotective. They think I’m gonna break every game of Lacrosse I play. It’s a little stifling.”  

Ethan clucks his tongue sympathetically. “Man, that sucks.”

"Yeah - so what’re the chances of you ever getting reinstated on the team?"

"Slim to none."

"What did you even  _do?_ One day you’re one of Coach’s best players, the next, you’re in detention for the rest of the year and aren’t even allowed  _near_ the field during games. It must’ve been pretty bad.”

"I  _would_ tell you, Mahealani, but I don’t want to.”

"Ugh."

“ _Unless…_ you were to tell me about that little FBI incident?”

"You still on about that?"

"I am literally never going to let this go."

Danny mulled over this trade off, sighed, and nodded.

"Fine. What did you do?"

"Nu-uh. You go first."

Danny grumbled. “I hacked a few…highly confidential records when I was 13. A few of them were pretty big and yeah. I’m just lucky I got away with a slapped wrist.”

"What about the FBI investigation? C’mon, details."

"Apparently I triggered a kind of firewall which sent an FBI agent straight to my door to check I wasn’t a tech terrorist or something. Luckily, Agent McCall was also a friend of the family. Not as cool when I tell it, huh?"

"Still pretty cool."

"So."

"So what?"

"So what did you do to get kicked off the team?"

Ethan grinned. “Nothing.” 

"I doubt that."

"It’s  _true._ Aiden did something and I took the blame. So technically, I did nothing.” 

Danny didn’t know how to answer that. As well as being pissed than he’d traded his story for something so lackluster, he was a little sorry for Ethan losing his spot on the team. 

"Idiot." He settled for as they rounded into School. Ethan huffed in indignation.

"How the hell does that make me an idiot?"

"You were good at Lacrosse and I  _know_ you enjoyed it.” 

"Eh, it was okay. I mean, I  _was_ the best player on the team.”

"You were good." Danny corrected, amused. "But everyone had their strengths."

"Ever the level headed one." Ethan snorted. 

"C’mon. You were good when it came to power and aggression, but tactically speaking - "

"Do you think you’re a better player than me?" Ethan interrupted. Danny shrugged. 

"Like I said. Everyone has their strengths. You’re a better Attacker than me, but I’m a better goalie than you, no question."

"No question?" Ethan repeated. "Nu-huh. Bullshit."

"Sure, sure." Danny said, trying his best to humour and pacify Ethan. This only spurred him on.

"Not only do I  _know_  I’m a better Goalie than you, I can prove it.”

"Uh-huh."

Ethan seized Danny’s hand and dragged him away from the parking lot and over to the Lacrosse field. “Stay.” he instructed and disappeared off into the darkness. Danny was left to loiter awkwardly, wishing that he could just head back to warmth of his car. Ethan returned, minutes later with his arms full of Lacrosse gear. 

"Lucky for us, this school is pretty lax on security." Ethan said happily, aged pads and Crosse’s in hand. "They keep all the old crap in that shed."

"You want to play a game  _now?”_

"I want to prove I’m a better goalie."

Danny rolled his eyes, but there was a grin on his face. Ethan was like a stubborn dog with a bone and he found it weirdly cute, if annoying.

"Fine then. I go in Goal and you take five shots. Then we switch. If  _you_ win, I have to - “

"Run one of lap of the field, naked." Ethan said immediately and without hesitation. Danny froze at the victorious glint in Ethan’s eye. The bastard thought he’d won already. He thought he’d got one over on him. He thought Danny wasn’t even going to take the bet, that’s why he made such a preposterous claim. 

"Deal."

The look of surprise on Ethan’s face was nothing short of hilarious. Danny held up a finger.

“ _But,_ if  _I_ win, you have to call up my dad and offer to be his new sparring partner.” 

"I don’t see why you have to play for your dignity and I have to play for my  _life.”_

 _“_ Hey, if you’re as good as you say you are, you have nothing to worry about. We on?”

Ethan licked his lips and nodded, grinning.

"You might as well started stripping now, Mahealani. We’re on." 


	5. Chapter 5

Danny positioned himself in goal, feeling the weight of the Crosse in his hands, watching Ethan’s movements carefully. He’d seen the guy play before, he knew his tactics. All power but he lined up his shots way too clearly and it’s easy to tell where he’s aiming.

As proof to his mental estimation, Danny saved Ethan’s first shot with ease.

"Practice shot." Ethan said breezily. 

"That’s total crap. One point to me."

Ethan grit his jaw. “Fine. One point to you.”

Danny flicked the ball back to Ethan, who caught it deftly in his Crosse -

 - and then fired it back immediately, past Danny, and into the goal.

"One point to me." Ethan said smugly. He noticed Danny’s expression. "What? Not my fault you weren’t looking or ready. That’s actually a pretty rookie mistake for a Goalie to make." 

“ _Fine._ One point to you.” 

Ethan preened happily and again caught the ball as Danny flung it back. He feinted a couple of tosses, lunged, Danny held held firm. After a few more maneuvers which admittedly required a fair bit of skill, Ethan made another shot which Danny managed to catch

"Two points to you." Ethan said amiably. He again caught the ball and paced, measuring up his options. Danny watched his every movement carefully. Ethan wasn’t playing his usual style. Usually, Ethan would hurl the ball and everyone around him would just have to pray it didn’t hit them too hard. But now, Ethan was focussing and thinking tactically and  _totally_ screwing Danny over. 

Ethan lurched and tossed. Danny caught it and tossed it back, equally as quickly.

"Three points to me." He said with a small grin.

"Three points to yo -  _ah!_ ”

Ethan had taken Danny’s momentary distracted state to his advantage and launched another attempt. Danny, however, was too quick.

"Four points to me." Danny said, holding back the glee in his voice. "One point to you. So you need to save  _five,_ that’s  _all of them,_ to win.”

Look’s like somebody was going a few rounds with Mr Mahealani.

Ethan tapped his crosse on the ground thoughtfully. ”You know what Mahealani? You’re a pretty good Goalie.”

"Thanks." Danny said dryly. 

"No, no, I’m serious. So maybe I’ll concede that you’re a better Goalie than me." 

"So does that mean you lose?"

"No."

"The premise of our bet was proving who was the better Goalie."

Ethan shushed him. “I’m trying to make it more interesting here!”

In all reality, Ethan had probably realised that he’d bitten off more than he could chew and didn’t want to face the consequences. But Danny was admittedly a little curious. “Go on.”

"Okay, so hear me out. Instead of me having to keep goal, we’ll have a sudden death. You’ll be in goal, I’ll be shooting. I score, I win. you save it, you win. Sound fair?"

"Not really."

"Well what if I change the terms. Same forfeit for you, but if I lose, I have to do the original forfeit  _plus_ something else. Whatever you chose.” 

Danny considered this thoughtfully. “ _that_ sounds fair.” he agreed eventually. 

Ethan’s face cracked into a pleased grin. “So what’re my new terms?”

"Offering to be Dad’s sparring partner."

"Of course."

"And I get to ask you three questions and you have to give me three completely honest answers. No bullshitting." 

Ethan stuttered to silence. He stared warily at Danny and then slowly held out his hand.

"Sure thing."

They shook firmly. Ethan hoisted up his Crosse. Danny stepped back into goal. Waited.

"So you decided that you  _weren’t_ a good goalie.” Danny said calmly, though his stomach was churning with nerves.

"I just know that I’m a better attacker than goalie. I’m playing to my strengths." Ethan returned placidly. Danny got the distinct feeling Ethan was assessing him carefully. They waited more. Ethan still and unmoving. 

Then the shot came hurtling past Danny and into the back of the goal. Danny gaped wordlessly. 

"I win." Ethan said smugly.

* * *

 

Ethan settled onto the bleachers, sprawling out obnoxiously. “I’m waiting.” He drawled.

Danny glared and seethed but there wasn’t much to do about the fact he’d emphatically  _lost._ Muttering darkly to himself, Danny stripped out of his clothes and shoes, tossing them down onto the ground.

"Can you  _not_ watch me strip?”

"It’s too beautiful of a sight to miss. If you see an amazing sunset, you don’t turn your back and admire a shrub instead."

"And?"

"And you’re like, a million times hotter than a sunset. Gettit?"

"Shut up and don’t watch me strip."

Ethan rolled his eyes, but dutifully covered them. “I’m going to see you naked in a minute, idiot.”

"Yeah, but - " Danny made a noise of dissent and wriggled out of underwear, dropping them down onto the rest of his clothes.

"One lap of the field, right?" He turned his back to Ethan, and started a light paced jog.

"One lap!" Ethan called cheerily, his tone indicating that he’d definitely uncovered his eyes. "Damn Mahealani, you are  _definitely_ hotter than a sunset.”

"Shut up." Danny snapped back, focussing all his attention on  _not_ looking at Ethan who was no doubt leering like a total pervert or something. As he rounded the first corner, Danny heard the tell-tale snap of a phone’s camera.

"I swear to God Ethan, delete that photo right now or I will make you  _eat_ that phone.”

"Awh c’mon. One photo for those lonely nights. Your ass is a work of art!"

"I. Will. Make. You. Eat. It."

"Your ass or my phone?."

"Ethan!"

"Touchy. Touchy."

Danny growled low under his breath and rounded the second corner. Running naked was a weird experience. Had he not so been conscious of the fact Ethan was staring, Danny would describe it as being oddly freeing, if kinda chilly. He focussed on his pacing and less on the fact that he was totally nude, though Ethan’s catcalling kept drawing him to that fact - 

wait. No it wasn’t. Because Ethan’s catcalling had  _stopped._

"Ethan?"

Danny looked up from the path in front of him. Ethan had disappeared.

Along with Danny’s clothes.

"Oh you  _asshole.”_ Danny hissed, sprinting towards the bleachers. “You  _asshole,_ I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you, you - “

The surrounding area was deserted. Danny searched desperately for a few moments, growing more and more aware he was committing public indecency. Then, he heard the rumble of a bike and squeal of tires.

Danny watched the bike in the distance, seething with anger.  _Seething._ To think he ever even  _considered_ trusting that moronic idiot. 

"I swear to God Ethan, I’m gonna kill you." Danny snarled into the night. The bike speeding off paid him no heed. 

Modesty and self-conciousness overtook him and Danny’s hands snaked down in an attempt to cover himself. His car was in the parking lot - he could probably sprint it and remain unseen, but actually driving home was the problem. If he got stopped, he’d have to explain to the Sheriff why he was fucking  _naked._ If anyone glanced at his car, they could see he was topless, let alone everything else. 

He had to risk it.

Danny sprinted towards the car and stumbled against it, breathing heavily. It wasn’t until he jiggled at the handle that he realised his keys were in the pocket of his pants.

"I hate you, Ethan." He spat, hoping the locker room was easy enough to break into so he could get his sweats from his locker. "God, I  _hate_ you.”


	6. Chapter 6

Sneaking into the locker room was terrifying. All Danny could think about was what would happen if he was caught by the janitor, the utter  _shame_ of being dragged home by the Sheriff for public indecency and - ugh, God. It was too horrible to think about. Cursing Ethan's name and everything about him, Danny hoisted himself through the broken window near the locker room (thanking the school’s slightly shoddy security system – and minding a few delicate areas, he was naked after all) he sprinted through the hall and into the locker room, unlocking and emptying his locker in record time. He stumbled into his sweat pants and old work out tshirt and just _breathed._ Things were looking a little better.

He slammed the locker shut, the sound echoing throughout the empty school. It was almost eerie to be alone in such a huge place – eerie, but opportunistic. As Danny strolled out into the hall towards the broken window, he caught sight of the blinking light of a computer some teacher had forgotten to switch off.

He could so easily use it. He could so easily just sit down and dig through records. He could change grades. He could so easily look Ethan up. Find out why Ethan lived with his uncle. Find out why he joined halfway through the semester last year. Find out –

Suddenly, Danny was a little disgusted with himself. Sure he was pissed off to no end with Ethan, but he had no right to just delve into his personal life at that. Feeling suitable ashamed of himself, Danny slunk down to the window and clambered out of it.

* * *

 

Since he had no keys, he had to go by foot. The walk home felt surreal. It was like when waking up from a dream, those slow moments where wakefulness is coming and the weirdness of the dream is becoming more and more obvious. Danny had cut class. He’d trespassed on property. He’d played Lacrosse in the dark. He’d streaked. He’d broken into school.

It had been an odd sort of day.

He reached his house tired and more than a little furious with Ethan. The sheer _nerve_ of him. What if Danny had got caught? How creepy and perverted do you have to be to think something like that’s funny –

But he still couldn’t shake the thought of that moment up in his room where it had seemed like there might be something more. That flicker of something in Ethan’s eyes –

God he was so confused. Danny smacked his head into his palm.

“Why do you make me feel like this, you idiot?”

Taking a few more moments to wrestle his thoughts in coherency, Danny trotted up the garden path, his bare feet chilly on the cool slab and aching after the walk him. He reached the front porch and was encountered with a surprising sight.

A bright, brilliant bunch of wildflowers was placed down onto the porch. Danny gathered them up, something strange sticking in his throat. The smell was sweet and familiar – the smell of that garden he and Ethan had broken into.

“You went back there?” Danny whispered in disbelief, his words carrying in the empty night. He grabbed the spare key from under a rock and unlocked the front door and slipped inside, the sound of his parents chatting drifting through.

“I’m home!” He called, shifting the flowers to one arm and wandering in the kitchen in the hope of scrounging up some leftovers. His parents both turned to him and their eyes simultaneously dropped to the flowers in Danny’s arms.

“Hey sweetie.” His mom said casually, despite the fact she was still staring at the flowers with a strange smile. “Listen, I’m sorry about earlier. We’ve discussed it,” she gestured to Mr Mahealani, “and you’re not grounded but we _are_ still pissed, so you’re doing the lawn on Saturday. Weeding, mowing, hedge trimming.”

“Duly noted.” Danny said with a sigh, writing off his Saturday freedom. There was a moment of silence, broken by his mom idly picking through her dinner. Mr Mahealani cleared his throat.

“So did your ‘not boyfriend’ give you those flowers?”

Danny hung his head and groaned. “I’m going to bed.” He said, wishing for the hundredth time that his parents weren’t such smartasses. “And I’m sorry about today.”

“It’s okay.” His mom said lightly. Danny bade them both goodnight and as soon as he exited the kitchen, his parents began to talk.

“Was Ethan cute?” he heard his mom whisper. His dad made an odd, choked noise.

“I don’t know! I don’t know how to define ‘cute’ guys!”

Danny shook his head fondly and trod his way up the stairs, in dire need of some counselling.

* * *

 

Danny and Jackson exchanged relationship advice more often than people would expect. Months before, Lydia and Jackson had split and Danny spent a good hour coaching Jackson through the initial shock of the break up and helping him drink a bottle of tequila.

“I think I have a crush on Ethan Wolfe.” Danny said as soon as Jackson’s face came into view. Jackson snorted.

“Seriously man?”

“I _think_ so, but I’m confused.” He said miserably. “Ethan makes me laugh. He also makes me so _mad._ He’s sexy and good looking and I really - ”

“Less detail, please.” Jackson said wearily.

“But I don’t know how I feel about him. Like, today -

Danny proceeded to explain everything that happened that day. From the break-in to the bet to the flowers. Jackson listened with a frown on his face and when Danny finished, he sighed.

“The guy’s crazy for you, idiot.”

“He made me streak! He stole my clothes!”

“He wanted to see you naked.” Jackson explained slowly. “He tried to pass it off as like, a stupid bro type dare but it was probably like winning the lottery.”

“That’s creepy.”

“Well, that’s Ethan.”

Danny grumbled. “Whatever. And when did you get so good with the advice, anyway? Usually Lydia is - ” Danny tailed off, eyes narrowed. “Lydia’s there, isn’t she?”

“No.” Jackson said a little too quickly.

“She is! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because we’re taking things slow.” Lydia said primly, coming into view. “Anyway that’s not important. What’s important is you and Ethan. I was with Aiden for a while – stop pouting, Jackson – and it was mostly just sex – Jackson, _stop it -_  Aiden is a notorious commitaphobe and from what I could tell, his brother is worse.”

“So you’re saying I shouldn’t bother?” Danny asked, a little downhearted. Lydia shook her head.

“I’m saying it’s interesting how hard he’s trying.”

“But he’s not! He stole my clothes!”

“He probably thought it would be funny.” Lydia said dismissively. Danny bristled.

“Exactly! That’s the kind of jerk he is!”

“You’re not listening. He thought it would be funny for the both of you. He probably thought you’d laugh it off – it was a spur of the moment decision, so when he realised the consequences, probably when he found out he had your keys, he went back. You said you were in the school, correct? He must’ve gone back, saw you were gone and assumed that you’d ran home. The flowers were probably his way of apologising.”

“He would’ve thought I’d have run home naked?”

“It’s Ethan.” Lydia said simply.

“So you think he didn’t do it to be a jerk? He was just trying to be funny?” Danny asked hesitantly.

“Tragically so.”

* * *

 

The three of them talked for quite some time. Right up until Jackson and Lydia began getting a little too involved with each other and Danny had to call it a night before he was an accidental voyeur – again. He shut his laptop, the room falling into gloom. In the corner of his eye, he spotted the flowers lying on his desk. They were already beginning to wilt.

Danny decided they were worth keeping, so he headed to his ensuite, grabbing up a glass on his way and filled it with water. It would have to serve as an impromptu vase. He awkwardly smushed the flowers in and attempted to arrange them in some sort of artistic way and their scent sprinkled and danced throughout the room as Danny placed them down onto his bedside table.

That night, he dreamt. He dreamt of wildflowers and butterflies and Ethan’s loud, crash laughter.

 


	7. Chapter 7

Danny's alarm yanked him from sleep. He groped for his phone and attempted to smush the snooze button, only to hear his mom tap at his bedroom door.

"You awake, Danny? Get started on that garden before it rains." 

Danny groaned, long and low into his pillow. He rolled from his bed a wearily trod to the shower, a small, begrudging smile on his face as he passed the flowers on his bedside. 

* * *

Danny's mom rattled off a long list of chores - mow, gutters, rake, trim the topiary swans, weed the flower beds. It was going to take painfully long. One of the worst things about having such a huge house was having such a  _huge garden_ and ugh, Danny actually cringed a little at his own thoughts. That was something Jackson would say. He sighed, rolled out his shoulders and set to work.

It was therapeutic really. The threatening rain clouds cleared and sun beat down warmly. After an hour or so, Danny whipped off his sweat sticky shirt, yanked up another handful of weeds. Behind him, he heard a chuckle.

"Boy, you really do love stripping off for me, don't you, Mahealani?" 

Danny whirled around to see Ethan smirking on the patio.

"How the hell did you get it?"

"Your window was unlocked again, I just climbed through that and then wandered through the house."

"That's...worrying, Ethan." 

Ethan shrugged and idly strolled over to Danny. "Need a hand with that weeding?"

"It's pretty much done. But you can help trim the topiary if you're really okay with spending your Saturday clean a lawn?"

Ethan nodded and yanked up the spare pair of shears. 

"Better than sitting at my Uncle's house bored out of my mind and trying to avoid him." 

Danny nodded levelly, carefully trimming away stray twigs. "Your Uncle, he's that Deucalion guy, isn't he? Big house near the preserve."

"Yup." Ethan said, snipping a little too exuberantly. One of the topiary swans fell victim to his overzealous shearing and its head tumbled down onto the ground. Both boys stared dumbly at it for a while. Then, Ethan began to snigger loudly.

"Oh man," He cackled. 

" _My mom loves those stupid swans!"_

Ethan stopped laughing at the panic in Danny's tone. He awkwardly plucked up the head and jammed it back down onto the swan's neck.

"Fixed it." He said lightly. Danny glared.

"Ethan!"

"What? Personally, I think it's an improvement."

"Well, my mom won't." 

The swan wilted and once again, became headless. There was a stunned silence and then Ethan began sniggering again.

"Sorry." He giggled at Dany's glare. "But you gotta admit, it's a little funny." 

"No." Danny said stubbornly, though the corners of his mouth was trembling with the desire to laugh. 

"Yes." Ethan said, spying the grin, his eyes glinting triumphantly. Danny attempted to hold back the laughter. Ethan folded his arms.

"C'mon Mahealani," he chided, "c'mon, you know it was funny."

"Was not." Danny said, fighting back the grin. 

"It was!"

"Was not. It was stupid."

"Which is what makes it so funny!"

Danny reluctantly began to laugh too. It  _was_ dumb and stupid but it was also funny. They both giggled mindlessly for some time, working through the garden only to catch each other's eye and started laughing again. Eventually, Danny giggled himself out.

"You have an odd sense of humour." He told Ethan. "I've been meaning to ask, that little prank you pulled? So.  _Not. Funny."_

Ethan smirked, like he thought Danny was joking. Danny made his expression into something that said otherwise and Ethan slowly went from smiling to horrified. 

"You didn't think it was funny?"

" _I was totally naked."_

"Yeah, but all you had to do was drive home! It's like, a five minute drive!"

"The keys were in my pocket."

Ethan's jaw slowly dropped open and he looked suitably ashamed. "Oh my god."

"I had to break into the school and get my spare clothes from my locker."

"You broke into the school? You little badass!"

Danny plastered on his best 'unimpressed' face. "I'm not laughing, Ethan."

Ethan's expression went from ashamed to horrified. "You really didn't think it was funny?"

"You really didn't know I didn't think it was funny?"

Ethan shrugged. Danny laughed incredulously. 

"But you gave me those flowers! I thought that was you apologising!"

"It's just 'cause they were nice and I wanted you to have them!"

"You snuck back into that house just to get me some nice flowers?"

Ethan splayed his hands as if to say 'well duh'. "Better than going back to Deucalion's."

The bitterness in Ethan's tone was a little alien. Danny had the feeling he needed to tread carefully. 

"You don't like going home?" 

"Not really. But believe me, he's happy for us to keep out of his way too." Ethan said dully. "Me and Aiden just moved in last year. Nobody's happy about it." 

"Why?" Danny asked tentatively. "I mean, I remember you joined halfway through the semester but - "

Ethan gave Danny a look which told him that he should probably stop talking. Danny fell silent, the only sound the  _snip snip snip_ of shears on the topiary. 

"He took us in." Ethan said quietly, suddenly. "He had to, really. After - " Ethan swallowed and said nothing more. 

Danny suddenly remembered back to when Stiles' mother died. He never even knew she was sick. In hindsight, his mother probably would've known and maybe even treated her, but Danny wasn't even aware. The one day, Stiles didn't show up for school and there were whispers, snatches of hear-say, people saying that Mrs Stilinski, the kindergarten teacher and Sheriff's wife, had just  _died._ Danny remembered Stiles coming back to class a week or so later and he'd just felt so bad for the guy that he had to reach over and say to him. ' _hey, I'm really sorry about your mom'._

And in reply, Stiles had just shook his head and said ' _just..._ _don't'._

And the expression on Ethan's face was exactly like that. Tired. Pained. Bereft. Danny didn't say anything, though. He just reached out and gently squeezed Ethan's wrist. Ethan watched the gesture and then looked up at Danny, eyes full of something that Danny couldn't quite place.

"You wanna grab something to eat, take a quick break?" Danny asked. Ethan nodded, the strange emotion of the moment slowly slipping away.

"Yeah that would be good." he said quietly. They downed their shears and walked inside, Ethan awkwardly slipping out of his muddied shoes and Danny tugging his shirt back on. Danny was no chef (his dad however, was) so he just heated up some leftovers and hoped they would do.

"This is good." Ethan said after a while, gesturing to the food with his fork. Danny shrugged.

"My dad opened his own restaurant with his best friend after they finished their service."

"Huh." Ethan blinked. "Didn't expect  _that._ What restaurant is it?" 

"La Lune."

"Wow."

"Yeah, I don't really mention it to people. They kinda bug me for reservations."

"Well it  _does_ have a reputation for being the most romantic restaurant in town." Ethan grinned, more of the familiar him starting to shine though. "How about we get a table there?"

"Very funny."

"I'm being serious."

And - and it kind of looked like Ethan  _was._ Danny found himself kind of tempted to say yes and he was about to, he was  _so about too -_

Then his mother's voice came shrieking from the back yard. 

"What the hell happened to my swan?!"


	8. Chapter 8

Ethan and Danny had trailed out into the garden at the sound of Mrs Mahealani's yell. She stood, arms folded, next to her beheaded swan.

"What happened?" She asked, suddenly quiet and calm.  _That_ was the way Danny's parents showed anger, all quiet fury and disappointed glances. It made him squirm like hell. 

"It was my fault." Ethan said suddenly. "I did it."

Mrs Mahealani's eyebrows shot up, she briefly glanced to Danny before glaring at Ethan. "You beheaded my swan?"

Danny kind of wished his mom wasn't so pissed, because he was still wanted to giggle whenever he thought of that ridiculous moment when the swan's head had fallen off. He forced his expression into quiet humbleness as Ethan shrank slightly under Mrs Mahealani's glare. 

"I didn't mean to." Ethan said, his tone sounding genuinely apologetic. "I'm really sorry, I'll pay for a replacement."

Mrs Mahealani stayed firm, lips pressed in a tight line as if she was reading Ethan's mind to see if he was sincere and he wilted under her glare, still awkward and a little embarrassed and very un-Ethan like. Eventually Mrs Mahealani slowly nodded.

"It's okay." She said. "And you don't have to pay."

"Thank you." Ethan mumbled.

"I've been meaning to change them for a while now."

"Maybe I can help you?" Ethan asked with a small smile. Mrs Mahealani snorted. 

"For the sake of my sanity, I'm going to say no. Now both of you get inside before I change my mind."

Ethan visibly relaxed at this and his swaggerish bravado returned. They both muttered a few more quick apologies before scuttling inside.

"Your mom might be scarier than you dad. I totally thought she was going to pick up those shears and avenge her swan by cutting  _my_ head off." Ethan muttered in undertone as they fled back to the kitchen.

"I still might!" Mrs Mahealani called after then. Ethan burned crimson and Danny laughed loudly.

* * *

 

Ethan hung around for a little longer, handing Danny back his clothes with a meek grin. The keys jangled in his pants pocket and Ethan laughed awkwardly.

“Yeah, probably should’ve realised I had those sooner.”

“Yup.” Danny said dryly.

“Still, it was funny in the end.”

“ _No,_ it wasn’t.”

“It was a little - ”

“No.” Danny cut him off. “Nope, nu-uh, nada. Not funny. _Not. Funny.”_

Ethan sighed as if he was laden with the troubles of the world. “Fine.” he said with a mournful sigh. “I apologise. Though, are you sure you didn’t think it was funny?”

Danny’s vehement silence answered Ethan’s question. 

* * *

 

Ethan left soon after. Danny lay back on his bed, sleepy and well worn from the day. Both his parents were out and so Danny was left in the huge, empty house alone. He closed his eyes, tipping into sleep as his phone began to buzz. He groped for it clumsily and answered with a groggy,

“’lo?”

"Hey, uh, it's me."

"Ethan?" 

"Yeah, hey - listen, can you get to Pine as soon as possible? I'm at the corner, next to the hardware store - "

Danny rubbed sleep out of his eye and yawned. "Uh, why?" 

"I've had an accident on my bike."

" _What?"_ Danny wasn't expecting his stomach to plummet like that, he swung out of bed, all traces of sleep gone, halfway out the door as he asked, "are you okay?"

"Fine, fine, just get here as soon as possible, okay?"

"Yeah." Danny breathed shakily, hearing the tone of Ethan ringing off. He started up his car and zoomed out of the driveway, breaking the speed limit within the first two minutes of his journey. He reached the spot and saw Ethan's bike on its side, abandoned on the curb. Ethan was sat next to it, hunched in on himself. Danny slammed on the breaks and was out of his car in a haze of panic.

"Ethan!"

Ethan looked up, slightly dazed. Danny skittered to a halt and landed down heavily onto his knees.

" _Ethan._ Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Ethan said, frowning. "I - are  _you_ okay?"

“You - ” Danny reached out, cupping Ethan’s jaw. “Look at me, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“I’m _fine.”_ Ethan said, still looking completely puzzled albeit slightly pleased at Danny’s display. “What the hell has got you all frazzled?”

“ _You told me you’d been in an accident!”_

“Yeah, but I’m not hurt, I probably should’ve lead with that.”

Unexpected relief flooded Danny. He shoved Ethan on the arm, scowling. “Yes, yes you _should’ve,_ asshole. I was worried about you!”

Ethan grinned, clutching a hand to his heart. “You were _worried_ about me, Mahealani? Now that is touching, although I might actually be a little tiny bit hurt and maybe I need mouth-to-mouth? Just as a precaution, you see.”

“You’re insufferable.”

“I’m charming.”

“Hardly.”

Ethan huffed, once again hunching in on over himself. Danny noticed that Ethan had something in his lap –not a coat, like he’d first thought, but a moving something.

“What have you got under there?” Danny frowned. “Or do I not want to know?”

Ethan swallowed and peeled back his jacket, revealing a small black bundle.

"I hit a dog." Ethan’s strange tone returned and Danny realises that it’s guilt and remorse. “It seems okay, I think. It’s moving and stuff but I think it’ll still need a vet.”

Danny squinted. The dog was tiny, no more than a pup and it was jet black all over. He thought it might be a Labrador of sorts.

“What was it doing out all alone? It barely looks old enough to be weaned.”

Ethan shrugged. “I was just going along when I saw it at the last second. I swerved, but it panicked and ran in the opposite direction and – and I _landed_ on it.” Ethan’s tone was all guilt and anger and Danny didn’t like it.

“It’s not your fault.” He said softly. “Poor thing was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.” And yeah, maybe he was having a little difficultly deciding whether the ‘poor thing’ was Ethan or the pup, but nobody needed to know that.

* * *

 

Danny drove Ethan and the pup to the vet. They decided to leave Ethan’s bike tucked away in a car lot, hoping that it would stay safe. In truth, Ethan seemed far more concerned about the tiny black dog and Danny found himself growing more and more fond of Ethan’s secret soft side.

“Deaton’s good. Mom and Dad never let me have a pet, but Scott – you know, McCall? Yeah. He works here and says he’s a good vet. The pup will be fine.”

Ethan said nothing and they walked into the vets surgery in silence. The receptionist looked up.

“Clinic hours are over.” She said primly.

“It’s an emergency.” Ethan said shortly. “Puppy hit by a motorbike. Or do you want me to book an appointment for that?” His words were full of bite and sarcasm. Definitely the Ethan that Danny used to know – the Ethan that Danny thought was the _real_ Ethan, but now, he’s not so sure.

The receptionist was visibly frazzled and she hurried into the surgery, muttering something to whoever was inside. A man who Danny recognised as Deaton and McCall followed her out.

“Danny!” Scott said with visible surprise. “And…Ethan?”

“You have an injured pup?” Deaton said calmly over Scott. Ethan nodded and began to recall what he’d told Danny.

* * *

 

They sat in the waiting room for an hour or so, Ethan toying idly with a tennis ball he’d found and Danny fidgeting in his seat. Scott came out of the exam room, a kind though drained smile on his face.

“We’re going to have to keep her a little longer. You guys should probably go home.”

“Why? What’s wrong?” Ethan looked as if he was squaring up a fight with Scott and Danny hastily intervened.

“Can we come back tomorrow?”

Scott nodded. “Sure, we open up clinic about nine, so then?”

“Why not sooner?” Ethan demanded, aggression rearing once more. Danny placed a comforting hand on Ethan’s shoulder and Ethan seemed to calm, if only a little bit.

“Nine will be good.” Danny said simply. “C’mon Ethan and thank you, Scott and tell Deaton we said thanks, too.”

“It’s no problem.” Scott said kindly. “See you tomorrow.”

* * *

 

Ethan was at Danny’s at 8:45 on the dot and they reached the clinic at exactly 9. The vet clinic was void of waiting patients, so Danny and Ethan were ushered straight through.

“You want the good news or the bad news first?” Scott asked as they entered the clinic. Ethan froze up and Danny decided to answer.

“Good news.”

“After a good few meals, she should be a perfectly happy, healthy dog.”

“Great,” Danny nodded, grinning. “Can there be bad news after that? Unless of course it’s the fees - ”

“We had to amputate her back left leg.” Scott said gently. Ethan looked up sharply.

“Is that because of me?” He asked in alarm. Scott seemed surprised at Ethan’s concern, but Danny simply squeezed his arm comfortingly and gestured for Scott to continue.

“No, it was gangrenous, it would’ve needed to go bike accident or not. From the look of it, the pup hasn’t seen an owner for a while. She’s young, poor girl.”

“But you said she just needed a good few meals before she was back to full health?” Danny asked warily.

“Yeah, obviously we’ll have to put in a few supplements and the surgery wound is going to need time to heal, but she’s already attempting walking. She’s a pretty spirited dog. Already chewed up a stethoscope.”

Ethan snorted to himself. Scott’s surprised looked flickered again.

“Are you happy to take her in, or do you want us to home her? Whatever happens, she'll need to come in for a few more check-ups, make sure the wound is clean.”

“I’ll home her.” Ethan said immediately. Danny gave him a look but it was brushed off. From what Ethan had said, Deucalion wasn’t the most gracious host and it didn’t sound as though he’d welcome an injured pup into the fold.

“Right.” Scott said. “Uh, Deaton’s happy to do this pro bono, so you don’t have to worry about surgery costs, but you will have to buy her supplements and the necessary care equipment.”

“What does she need?” Ethan demanded. It was only then that Danny noticed the sheer aggression and Alpha Male attitude that Ethan exuded. It was also when he realised how much he knew the real, secretly sweet Ethan. He bit his lip in effort to hid his smile and began jotting down the stuff the pup would need.

* * *

 

Danny dropped Ethan and the pup at Deucalion’s house, helping him with the various bags of care equipment. Though the house was tastefully furnished with aged antiques, it had an oddly empty feel about it, and the place was filled with unloved and unwelcoming aura. Danny warily followed Ethan up to his room.

“Make yourself at home.” Ethan said, shoving open the heavy oak door. The room was laced with the same antique air, but there was a little bit of friendliness to the room. Especially when Ethan deposited the pup down onto the bed, chucking as she immediately began to limp and sniff about.

“You need rest.” He told her sternly. She yipped, but planted her little butt down onto the blanket. Ethan beamed.

“See? She’s a smart girl already!”

Danny nodded in agreement, toeing off his shoes and settling down onto the bed next to her. She dopily padded over and landed against his lap, snoozing within seconds.

“You really are a tough one, aren’t you?” he muttered, scratching her ear. Ethan watched them and Danny watched him and their eyes flitted, meeting for a brief second.

“Danny.” Ethan said quietly. “Thank you.”

“Anything for a cute little bundle of fluff – and the puppy’s pretty sweet too.”

Ethan scowled and Danny chuckled. The pup awoke at the noise and yipped lowly. Ethan hushed her.

“Shh, shh, ignore him yeah? He thinks he’s funny, poor thing.”

“Hypocrite.” Danny said lightly.

“He’s also kind grumpy sometimes and he has a little trouble recognising that I’m totally hilarious, but that’s okay, because he’s pretty.”

Danny prayed that his cheeks weren’t flushing as pink as he thought.

* * *

 

They sat playing with the pup for the rest of the day, alternating between feeding her and watching her nap. Ethan disappeared for a half hour whilst Danny puppy-proofed the room (he removed all chewable things from the floor) when Ethan returned, he was clutching two steaming plates.

“Just a little something for lunch.” He said, placing it down in front of Danny. Danny took an appreciative bite and moaned softly and yeah, maybe a little pornographically. It was just _really good_ food.

“Holy _crap,_ this is good. You made this?”

Ethan was watching Danny in somewhat of a daze. “I did. It’s nothing.”

“Ethan, it’s delicious.”

Ethan coloured a slight red. Danny grinned but decided not to mention it. “You should talk to my dad about an apprenticeship at the restaurant. He loves to take on new blood.”

“Yeah, like I’d voluntarily spend hours at a time with your father in a room filled with knives and fire.”

* * *

 

Danny was a little tired, in all honesty. He’d spent a near full day at Ethan’s, and what with the few hours of sleep he’d had the night before, he barely managed to keep his eyes open as he helped prep the pup’s feed.

“She needs a name.” He said idly, stifling a yawn. Ethan nodded.

“Yeah, I’m just trying to think of one.”

The pup greedily gobbled up her food and then settled down onto Danny’s stomach for a nap. Danny reclined into the pillows of Ethan’s bed, only meaning to rest his eyes for a second –

* * *

 

He woke up an hour later. Ethan was cradling the pup in his arms, staring at something on the wall. Danny followed his gaze to a faded watercolour of a butterfly. His mind flitted back to that moment in the garden.

“Did you paint that?” he asked, voice sleep-weak. Ethan jumped and turned round.

“Well, hello Sleeping Beauty.”

Danny grinned sheepishly. “Sorry. Long day.”

“S’okay. I’m pretty tired myself, I was kinda tempted to crawl in next to you, but I thought it would weird you out a little.”

“It’s your bed, I wouldn’t have minded.” Danny said simply. He sat up and pointed to the watercolour. “So, did you paint that?”

Ethan watched him for a moment and then slowly shook his head. “No.” he said quietly. “My dad did.”

“Oh?”

“It was his anniversary present to mom. She loved butterflies. Studied them all her life.”

The past tense phrasing didn’t sound good. Combined with the fact that Ethan begrudgingly lived with his Uncle, Danny suddenly felt as if he was treading upon very delicate ground.

“Oh.” He said again, softly. Ethan sighed, shrugged and they fell into silence. After a while, Ethan cleared his throat, turning away from the painting.

“Okay, I know I’ve kind of run out of favours from you, but I just need one more.”

“What?”

“Can you keep an eye on her? Just for half an hour or so, I need to go get some puppy pads. She’s already peed on my rug twice and done something unmentionable to my running shoes. Plus, I still need to pick up my bike.”

“You want me to stay here with her?”

Ethan nodded slowly. “If that’s okay. Deuc and Aiden shouldn’t bother you, and if they to, just tell them to piss off, okay? Aiden shouldn’t be home anyway, he text earlier, saying he has a date.”

“Uh, kay.”

Ethan placed the pup down. “Stella.” He said firmly. “Danny is going to be looking after you for a while, be good for him.”

“Stella?” Danny asked with a grin.

“Her name. Like, Latin for star.”

“You know Latin?”

Ethan shrugged. “Google knows Latin.” He shoved the laptop forward. “Here, I got some good pages on keeping puppies happy.”

“Does it just say feed them and tickle their tummies?”

“And tell her she’s a good girl, _that’s_ important.” Ethan said, grinning. He faltered into something slightly more serious. “Thank you for doing this, I really kinda owe you for this whole thing, don’t I?”

Danny focused very firmly on stroking Stella’s newly fat tummy. “You can just take me out for dinner or something.” He said carelessly, keeping the tremor from his tone. Ethan’s whipped his head up.

“What?”

“You mentioned going out for something to eat sometime? It’s okay if you were joking - ”

“No! No, I wasn’t joking, I – um, dinner. We should do dinner. That would be – uh, really, _really_ good - ”

“Good.” Danny said, suddenly overcome with giddy shyness. Ethan cleared his throat, straightening up from the bed.

“I should probably go before the stores close. Missing you already, Stella.” He crooned, ticking Stella under the chin. He did the same to Danny. “You too, Mahealani.” He said with a wink, laughing as Danny waved him off.

“Back soon!” Ethan called, retreating from the room. Danny waited before he heard the front door close before he scooped up Stella, sighing into her fur.

“It’s been one hell of a weekend, hasn’t it Stel?”

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to say thank you to all who review and comment and read! People have been so overwhelmingly kind when they reply, you're all perfect :) 
> 
> I'm trying to update weekly, every Monday.

Danny spent half an hour near-wrestling Stella into the pillow lined laundry basket they’d decided to use as her impromptu bed. The three-legged pup didn’t seem to understand that she was _just that_ and she needed her rest.

“C’mon, be a good girl – _no, don’t chew that._ You’re a little hell raiser, aren’t you? You and Ethan are a match made in heaven.”

Stella dropped the sock she’d been shredding and limped back over to Danny. He scooped her up and gently placed her into her bed.

“Aren’t puppies supposed to sleep like, 18 hours a day?” Danny shook his head exasperatedly. “C’mon time for you to sleep. _I_ want to sleep.”

Stella barked, her tail wagging joyfully. Danny folded his arms, plastering on his best ‘firm’ expression.

“Go to sleep.” He said, aware that she was a dog and that she probably couldn’t understand him, but he himself was dopey from lack of sleep and communicating with animals just about seemed plausible at that moment. “Go to sleep. Go to sl – ah, screw it.”

Stella seemed to realise she’d won, for she barked again and wobbled over to Danny, nearly falling out of her bed in an attempt to get to his lap.

“Nightmare.” Danny mumbled, scooping her up and into his lap. “Okay, you can stay up, but if I get yelled at then _you’re_ dealing with Ethan, okay? Somehow I think your puppy eyes would be more effective than mine.”

“I highly doubt that.” A voice purred from the doorway. Danny turned around, grinning at Ethan.

“So why would you need to give me the puppy eyes?”

“Because Stella won’t go to sleep.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow. “And why won’t she do that?”

“Because she’s the dog from hell. I think she really did have a previous owner before you found her and that owner was _Satan.”_  Stella whimpered and butted Danny’s hand. Danny sighed. “But damnit, she’s a cute little hellspawn isn’t she?”

“The cutest devil dog there ever was.” Ethan chuckled, settling down next to Danny. “Ugh, I’m exhausted.”

“Me too.” Danny yawned and stood, head foggy with sleep. “Well I’ve got to get going. See you at school.”

Ethan made a small noise of dissent. “You don’t _have_ to go.”

“I’m pretty much ready for my bed, Ethan.”

“There’s a bed here.” Ethan said with a small smirk. “Or do you only deem it suitable for your naptimes?”

“Hilarious. But I really have to go.”

“You’ll be in my dreams, Mahealani!” Ethan called after him, feigning a swoon. Danny chuckled and raised a hand in reply.

* * *

 

Ethan wasn’t in school on the Monday. Danny settled into the chair next to Ethan empty seat and texted. _Where are you?_

He received a reply an hour later during lunch.

_Puppysitting stella_

Danny scowled, _you can’t cut class to look after stella!_

_[from: ethan] She cant be left alone all day!!_

_[from: danny] then find someone else_

_[from: ethan] who?? Theres only three weeks of school left anyway, it wont matter if I skip_

_[from: danny] tell me you’re joking_

_[from: danny] ??_

_[from: danny] ethan?_

“What’s making you scowl so much?” Lydia asked, leaning over curiously. Danny waved her off.

“Doesn’t matter.”

Jackson smirked, “are you finally realising that you can do a whole lot better than Ethan Wolfe?”

“Shut up.”

_[from: ethan] Ive made some arrangements, ill be at school tomorrow. Now about dinner??_

Danny grinned, turning away from Jackson and Lydia so they couldn’t see the messages.

[ _from: danny]_   _what about dinner?_

_[from: ethan] I was thinking you could come to mindeand I could make you something?_

_[from: danny] sounds great. Friday evening after school?_

_[from: ethan] Friday at six. I need some time to make myself date worthy, don’t i?_

So Ethan was defining it as a date. Good to know. Danny sucked in a giddy breath tapped out his reply.

_[from: danny]  fine. need me to bring anything?_

_[from: ethan]_   _just yourself_

* * *

 

The next day found Ethan in school, as promised. Danny sidled up to him outside his math class, knowing that he probably came off as a little overkeen but whatever. Ethan was actually pretty fun to hang around with.

“So what were these alternative arrangements for Stella?”

“I hired a babysitter.”

“Are you serious?”

“For the low-low price of $5 an hour plus refrigerator privileges? Hell yeah I’m serious.”

* * *

 

Throughout the week, Danny found himself seeking out Ethan more and more. Ethan didn’t seem to mind at all and Danny would possibly say that Ethan actually looked pleased every time Danny sought him out for a talk.

Friday came and Danny was out of school and heading home in seconds, keen to start getting ready. He wanted to look good. So sue him.

He finally decided on something that was smart enough to be date wear, but casual enough that he wouldn’t feel like a moron if Ethan wasn’t dressed up. Danny was just rooting through his colognes in an attempt to find his favourite Armani when the doorbell trilled. He thought nothing of it and spritzed himself lightly.

“Danny? It’s Ethan!” His dad’s voice called.

“Ethan?” Danny muttered to himself, dodging from the room and hurrying down the stairs. Ethan stood on the front porch, flowers in hand and a smile on his face.

“Well well,” Ethan greeted smoothly. “Don’t you look nice?”

“Uh, thank you.” Danny frowned. “Are you here for me? I was going to drive to yours.”

“Now what kind of date would I be if I didn’t pick you up?” Ethan scolded. He lifted the bouquet. “For you.”

“Ethan - ”

“Legitimately obtained.” Ethan said, handing them over to Danny. “ _mostly.”_ He said under his breath. Danny noticed a distinctly wild looking flower poking out from the neatly trimmed bouquet and tried to give Ethan a disapproving look, but he’s pretty sure it only came off as fond.

“I’ll just get these in water and then we can get going.”

“Sure thing.”

Danny stalked off, and neatly placed the flowers in the first vase he could find and deposited them carefully on the living room table. His parents looked over from where they were curled up on the couch. His mom sighed.

“Remember when you used to give me flowers like that, Kai?”

Kai nodded, “Yeah, but then you married me and I didn’t have to try so hard.”

“Remind me why I married you?”

“Rugged good looks?”

Marie shrugged, see-sawing her hand and giggled at Kai’s offended look. Danny rolled his eyes.

“I’m going out.”

His parents acknowledged this casually, like they weren’t trying to sneak peeks at Ethan loitering in the hall. Danny bade them a final goodbye and headed out into the street with Ethan.

“I brought my bike so I’ll give you a ride,” Ethan splayed his hands and grinned, “and please note that there was an excellent opportunity for an innuendo there, but I didn’t take it.”

“Yeah,” Danny rolled his eyes, “real character growth. I’m proud of you.”

“I’m serious,” Ethan nodded over his shoulder, “I’ve got a spare helmet and leathers. I’m a safe driver,” he held up a hand, “I swear, Scout’s honour.”

“You were a Scout?”

“Well,” Ethan shrugged, “I’m pretty sure that life ban they gave me still sticks, but you can trust me.”

Sidestepping that particular gem of information, Danny gave the bike a reluctant once over. 

“Right, so do I just - ” Danny gestured toward the bike and Ethan grinned. Surprisingly, it didn’t seem a mocking grin but more a comforting one, and he tugged Danny a little closer.

“Well, just sit there and you can hold on to my waist or you can grab the seat.”

“Uh - ”

“It’s safe. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

“Right.” Danny nodded slowly, following Ethan’s lead and swinging a leg over the seat. “Right.”

* * *

 

Ethan kept his word and Danny arrived in one, slightly windswept, piece. Ethan helped him out of the gear, grinning brightly.

“What did you think?”

“It was…different.”

“But fun?”

“Pretty fun.” Danny agreed, remembering the swoop of his stomach every time Ethan took a sharp corner or revved up the speed. “We should do it again some time.”

“We should.” Ethan agreed happily, tugging Danny up the path and into the house. They followed the familiar route up into Ethan’s bedroom – but Danny was halted.

“Wait there.” Ethan said firmly, positioning Danny outside the room and then disappearing inside for a couple of minutes. He reappeared, grinning brightly.

“Okay, all good!”

“What was - ”

Danny halted, gazing around the room in awe. At the centre of the room was a large, soft blanket dotted with pillows and throws. Around it glinted dozens of candles and the ceiling beams were strung with fairy lights.

“Thought it would be unwise to leave a puppy and unattended candles together, so I kinda have to throw everything together just now – is it –do you – do you like it?”

A week ago, Danny would’ve called Ethan an infuriating, loudmouth asshole whohe had a pathetic crush on. But in that moment, all Danny could think about was how much he’d truly seen of Ethan and how much he liked it. Even the crass, rough edges were charming and funny and Danny was more than a little smitten.

“It’s beautiful, Ethan.” Danny breathed, a little taken aback.

“Good.” Ethan swallowed, pulling Danny down onto the blanket. “So, let’s eat? I thought it would be easier to keep all the food in that basket, rather than go up and down the stairs to the kitchen.”

“Cute.”

Ethan flipped open an enormous picnic basket, peered inside, and frowned.

“Where’d the – _Stella!”_

Stella yipped from her brand new basket, shredding cartons around her. Danny giggled.

“Is that our food by any chance?”

“That’s our entree.” Ethan groaned, swatting her away. He sighed, gathering up the plates. “Guess we’re going to have to skip the entrée and go right ahead the main?”

“Sounds good.” Danny grinned, giving Stella a consolatory pat to stop her heartbroken puppy cries at the sight of the food being taken away. Ethan huffed.

“I don’t know what she’s complaining about, it was _our_ food she ate.” he grumbled.

“But she’s only been eating boring vet food prescribed to her, she wanted something nice for change.”

“Yeah, but it’s too rich for her, it’ll upset her tummy.” Ethan turned to her sternly. “You hear that, Stel? If you puke on everything I own because of that little meal, then I’m disowning you.”

“Like you could turf her out onto the street. How can you resist a face like this?” Danny held Stella up to look at Ethan and he sighed, grinning.

“I _am_ a total sucker for a pretty face. There’s a reason I worked my ass off all evening on this dinner.”

* * *

 

Dessert was the single most delicious chocolate cake Danny had ever eaten. His first bite made him produce a noise which was purely sexual _and he didn’t even care_ because the cake was so goddamn good. He delicately ate his way through his slice, knowing that no chocolate cake would ever taste as good as the one he was eating at that moment.

“You want some time alone with that cake?” Ethan asked in a slightly strangled voice. Danny _mm­-_ ed softly and nodded.

“God, I would marry this cake if I could.” He swallowed down the last piece and pointed to Ethan with his fork. “I’m serious about working with my dad. He’s got an apprenticeship opening up and I’d give you a good word.”

“You think that’ll help my chances?”

“Probably. I’m kind of a Daddys-Boy, don’t know if you’d noticed. But even if he doesn’t take my word, you’re talented enough to get in on your own merit. ”

Ethan shrugged, suddenly sweetly abashed. Danny chuckled.

“Hey. C’mon, you really don’t know you’re talented?”

Ethan shrugged. “I’m okay.”

“You’re _brilliant._ Where did you learnt to cook like that?”

Ethan looked at him for a long moment. “I had to.” He said after a while. “For some time it was just me and Aiden and one of us had to get good in the kitchen. I thought I might as well enjoy what I was doing, so I got a few books, watched a few videos – uh, crashed a cooking class or two. I kinda got greedy, I guess with how much I wanted to learn because – because for a while, having a good meal was the _only_ good thing about our days and we needed that. We needed good things.”

“Oh.” Danny said quietly.

“But things are okay now.” Ethan added. “Things are good. We have more going for us than just ‘good food’.”

Danny grinned, “I’m glad.” He paused for a moment. “You deserve it.”

Ethan shrugged and the seriousness of the moment melted away into something deeper. Like they both knew there was really something there. Something more than crass teasing and flirting and lewd innuendos.  Ethan cleared his throat.

“I had to promise half the cake to Aiden to get him out of the house for the evening. So,” Ethan lifted up his fork, which oozed with the goodness. “Last itty-bitty piece. For you.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.” Ethan waved the fork and Danny took the bite, sighing happily at the taste.

“So good.” He whimpered. Ethan nodded, swallowing thickly.

“Yeah, uh, guess I’ll have to give the recipe to you sometime, huh?”

“I don’t think it’ll be half as good if I make it.”

“Well you never know. Maybe I’ll make another one for you.”

“I hope so. I would sell my soul for another piece.” Danny said mournfully, gazing at Ethan. Ethan laughed.

“Your puppy eyes are lethal, Mahealani.”

Danny batted his eyelashes for full effect and then tapered off into giggles, Ethan joining him. They calmed down after a while and Ethan settled down comfortably, their bodies pressed right next to each other.

“I’ve always wanted to do this, you know.” Ethan said quietly. Danny leaned in closer, frowning.

“What?”

“Date you.”

The last bit of resolve and self-preservation in Danny broke and he leaned in, hand cupping Ethan’s jaw. Healways thought their first kiss would be rough, wanting, raw. But it was sweet and careful. Tender. Danny sighed softly, returning for more and more presses of lips until he was breathless. Ethan drew back, looking a little shellshocked.

“Wow.” He said meekly.

“Yeah.” Danny said breathlessly. “Wow.”

 


	10. Chapter 10

They kissed like that for what seemed hours; lazy, slow and perfect in ways that Danny couldn’t even begin to explain. After a while, Ethan’s hands began to snake below the belt, reaching to give Danny’s ass a teasing squeeze.

“You’re so gorgeous.” Ethan muttered, kissing and sucking down Danny’s neck, leaving marks on every inch of Danny’s skin. “So perfect, so beautiful.”

Danny was overwhelmed, breathless and dizzy with the sheer convictionand adoration in Ethan’s tone. When he felt the press of Ethan’s hard dick against his thigh, he drew back slightly.

“Wait.” He panted. “Wait, _wait.”_

Ethan wrenched backwards, chest heaving, lips red. “What? What’s wrong?”

Danny’s hand slowly drew upwards, tracing down Ethan’s face, cupping his cheek. “It’s just a little fast for me.” He whispered. “Can we take it slower?”

“Slower. I can do slower.” Ethan nodded, his kisses falling back to a lethargic pace. Danny squirmed and sighed happily and Ethan muttered a muffled. “Better?”

“Much better.” Danny groaned. He had a real weakness for having his neck kissed and Ethan was hitting every right button. They were sprawled on the picnic blanket, Danny’s head pillowed by the one of the cushions and it was overwhelmingly perfect and romantic –

“Hey Ethan, where’s that cake you prom – _well.”_

Ethan and Danny scrambled up, both flushing red. Aiden stood, smirking in the doorway. 

“Lights, candles, pillows. Wow Ethan, all you need is an Adele album and you’ve got yourself a cosy night in.”

“ _Aiden.”_ Ethan growled. Aiden’s smirk grew.

“Hey little brother - ”

“ _Stop calling me that, I’m only younger by 12 minutes.”_

 _“_ Still younger. Anyway, I’m not judging you _little brother,_ I’m just staying that you guys should stay safe and use protection and that I guess you wi - ”

“Aiden!”

“I’m not leaving until you tell me where that cake is you promised me.”

“Orange tin in the cupboard. Now _go.”_

Aiden grinned and exited the room, whistling cheerfully. Ethan sighed, resting his forehead against Danny’s.

“I’m sorry about that.” He muttered ruefully. “I love Aiden, but that doesn’t mean I don’t occasionally want to throw him out of a window.”

“It’s okay.” Danny giggled. “I mean, he’s actually given us a little time to pause and talk.”

“Talk?”

“Yeah. I mean, I _really_ like you Ethan but I don’t want to rush into things. We’ve only started connecting properly in this past week and I’ve – I’ve had bad experiences with guys and I just want to _know_ that I can take this slow.”

“You can. Absolutely. We can go as slow as you need.” Ethan said firmly. Danny smiled and pulled Ethan into another kiss.

* * *

 

Ethan took Danny home later that evening. Danny felt like skipping as he went into the house, dizzy with happiness and neck tingling with hickies. It was late enough that his parents had both gone to bed and Danny just flopped onto the couch, staring at the bouquet Ethan had given him. Who knew the guy was such a romantic? _Well_ , Danny thought, as he dragged himself up to bed.  _I know._

* * *

 

The next morning, Danny awoke with a giddy happiness in his stomach and a couple of love bites on his neck. He picked up his phone, grinning at the message on the screen.

_morning beautiful! ;)_

Danny bit his lip, tapping out

_Morning yourself, up to anything interesting today?_

The reply comes back within the minute

_Might be seeing my boyfriend_

Danny was grinning like a total moron but he didn’t care. Ethan kind of had that effect on him.

_So, you have a boyfriend?_

The reply is even quicker and hundred times sweeter

_Only if he’ll have me_

* * *

 

They ended up seeing each other that entire day, alternating between talking, playing with Stella and doing a hell of a lot of making out. Danny thought it was a day well spent.

When Monday came, they met up before class and holding hands in the hallway. They received some seriously surprised stares, which grew even more surprised when Danny leaned in for a kiss.

“You wanna have lunch together?” Ethan asked, lacing their fingers together and bringing Danny’s hand to his lips, kissing along the knuckles. The moments of pure affection that Ethan displayed kind of took Danny’s breath away and it was a little while before he could talk.

“Oh, yeah, sure.”

“Good, I brought you something to eat.”

“I swear to God, if the rest of that sentence is ‘and it’s in my pants’, I am _dumping you.”_

Ethan chuckled. “No, sadly. It’s this.”

He drew out a box which held a perfectly gooey slice of that chocolate cake. Danny grinned, threw his arms around Ethan neck and kissed him soundly on the mouth.

“You’re pretty good at this boyfriend thing, you know that?”

Ethan grinned brightly and Danny peppered a few more kisses to his lips before reluctantly pulling away.

“So I really have to get to my lesson.”

“We can always cut class together?” Ethan asked hopefully. Danny laughed, shaking his head.

“Not again.”

“Admittedly the last time _did_ end up with your perfect ass being dragged home by Sheriff Stilinski but hey, things turned out okay.”

“They did, but I really have to get to class. See you at lunch?”

“See you at lunch.” Ethan agreed with a sigh, unleashing some serious puppy eyes. Danny turned away, laughing.

“Don’t you dare try that with me.”

He marched resolutely to his lesson. His phone chirruped and Danny checked it, bursting out laughing at the screen.

Ethan had sent him a selfie, puppy eyes on full display.

 _Idiot_ Danny texted back, knowing the fondness must be seeping into the message.

* * *

 

Danny waited for Ethan at lunch, awkwardly keeping the seat next to him free while trying to deflect questions from the rest of the table. Jackson and Lydia seemed to catch on pretty quick and they both exchanged significant looks but neglected to say anything. Stiles and Scott joined them a little later on, Scott grinning brightly at Danny.

“How’s that puppy?”

“She’s good, putting on weight by the second, I think.”

Scott laughed. “That’s great to hear. Can you remind Ethan to bring her in for that wound to be checked-up? I think his appointment is Wednesday evening.”

Danny nodded, tapping a reminder into his phone. Stiles glanced between the two, frowning.

“Ethan.” He repeated slowly, upturned nose crinkling with distaste. “Ethan Wolfe?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re hanging out with Ethan Wolfe?”

“Uh, dating actually.” Danny admitted with a small smile. Stiles’ eyebrows shot up.

“Oh God.”

Danny frowned, feeling a flare of indignation at Stiles’ tone. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing!” Stiles said hastily. “Uh, nothing. So, uh, hey Scotty buddy, you wanna go…discuss sports in private?”

Scott frowned. “Dude, why can’t we talk about sports here?”

“It’s, uh, a really delicate sporting matter…about sports, which we need to discuss.” His eyes widened and he glared at Scott. “ _Right now.”_

Scott seemed to cotton on to whatever weird point Stiles was making and he nodded. “Oh right, okay. Yeah, so – we’re just gonna go - ”

“’Discuss sports’, right.” Danny finished dryly. “You have fun with that.”

Scott and Stiles both bolted away. Danny turned to Lydia and Jackson, frowning.

“Was that just me or were they acting really weird?”

“Pretty much par for the course with McCall and Stilinski.” Jackson said carelessly, stabbing his fork into his pasta. Danny frowned, watching them both scurry away, muttering to each other. His confusion was overtaken by a flutter of happiness when Ethan came into view and flopped in the seat next to him.

“Hey.” Ethan grinned. "Sorry I'm late, got held behind in class. Apparently using a bunsen burner to toast marshmallows isn't productive enough for Harris." 

“It's not exactly on the syllabus.” Danny said, hoping he sounded disapproving but probably sounding amused.

"Tasty though."

"Idiot." Danny said idly, pecking him briefly on the lips before pawing at Ethan’s bag. “Now give me that cake.”

Ethan laughed, fishing the box out of his bag. “I’m starting to think you’re only after one thing.”

Danny grinned sweetly, and everything seemed so _good_ and perfect –

If only he could've stopped that twinge of unease he felt whenever he caught sight of Scott and Stiles watching him.


End file.
